Welsh Language Commissioner's Strategic Plan Announced

Cymdeithas yr Iaith has welcomed the vision in the Welsh Language Commissioner's Strategic Plan of a 'A Wales where people can live their life in Welsh' but says that more emphasis must be put on using regulatory powers, extending Welsh Language Standards and strengthening language rights if that aim is to be realised.

The Welsh Language Commissioner consulted on a Strategic Plan at the end of last year. Cymdeithas criticised the Plan in its response as the word "right" did not appear once and that the Plan encourages the public to make more use of Welsh language services without recognising the fact that context plays a large part in people's choice of language and that bodies and organisations need to proactively provide Welsh language services.

Responding to the Strategic Plan Sian Howys said:
"We welcome the inclusion of a new objective in the Plan which clearly states that the Commissioner will be an advocate on behalf of the people of Wales, and the vision of a Wales where people can live their lives through the Welsh language, but the Commissioner needs to give clear guidance on people's rights and move the duty on organisations to offer and expand services in Welsh. If we consider that the Government's 'More than Just Words' Strategy says that the Health Boards should implement a a proactive language offer so that people receive services in Welsh, but we know that this doesn't usually happen."

We are also keen to see the Comisiynydd receive sufficient support and resources from the Government to extend its work to the areas of housing and planning and lead on building new infrastructure for the Welsh language to flourish as a community language.

Sian Howys added:
"There is no mention of the Welsh language as a community language in the Strategic Plan, the Welsh language exists day to day in our communities, but our Welsh communities are very fragile and there are huge challenges in terms of securing housing and work for people in those communities. The Commissioner has a key role to develop the role in terms of responding to local authorities' Local Development Plans, planning permission that has a significance for the Welsh language, scrutinising the Welsh Language in Education Strategic Plans and the Welsh language education delivery plans at school level proposed in the Education Bill. Specialist units are needed to do that work. the Commissioner doesn't have the resources to do that work at the moment, but the Commissioner should be calling for that."